International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons

#HINW14

Campaigners call on states to start discussions for an international treaty to ban nuclear weapons

February 13-14, 2014, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit Mexico

WHAT:

The second international conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons starts in Nayarit, Mexico tomorrow, and will be opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Dr. José Antonio Meade Kuribreña.

Government representatives from 143 states will participate along with international organisations (UN, ICRC) and civil society to discuss the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons in a follow-up conference to the first meeting held in Oslo, Norway in March 2013.

The UK and other nuclear weapons states – France, United States, Russia and China – refused to participate in the Oslo conference, and are not expected to participate in the Mexico conference either. Other nuclear weapon states – India and Pakistan are participating in the Mexico conference.

At the conference, campaigners from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) are calling on states to start negotiations for an international treaty to ban nuclear weapons.

WHY:

If a nuclear weapon was detonated, either as a result of intentional use or by accident, the consequences would be catastrophic. International organisations have said that they could not provide an adequate response to deal with the humanitarian emergency that would ensue.

Yet nuclear weapons currently remain the only weapon of mass destruction that has not been outlawed.

Over the past 60 years there has been slow progress in addressing this issue, but there is renewed momentum for an international ban on nuclear weapons and recognition that it is both needed and possible – even without the participation of states that possess nuclear weapons.

WHO:

Delegates from 143 states have registered to attend as well as several UN organisations, the International Committee of the Red Cross / Crescent (ICRC) and representatives of civil society are expected to participate in the conference. Participating states include: